


Friend.

by attasaurus



Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Bittersweet, Catching Up, During Inquisition, Friendship, Gen, Reminiscing, Reunion, Surprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-04
Updated: 2015-03-04
Packaged: 2018-03-16 07:36:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3479768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/attasaurus/pseuds/attasaurus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>King Alistair Theirin gets a visit from someone he hasn't seen in over 10 years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friend.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever Dragon Age fic so I didn't really have a beta to check my mistakes.  
> Rian Cousland is my Warden in Origins, and him and Alistair are as thick as thieves. I just wanted them to meet after so long!  
> Comments are always welcomed!

_"His name is Monk? You named your Mabari, 'Monk'?!" Alistair nearly spits out the ale that he had just sipped to keep himself warm in the snow. "But why?"_

_Rian Cousland was in the middle of feeding the Mabari in question a chunk from his roasted nug, when he heard Alistair sputter._  
_He laughs, reaching down to ruffle Monk's scruff, "Why not? I thought it was rather amusing to name him after something he is clearly not... Maker knows how many pups this rascal has sired."_

_"Maker knows how many pups **you**  have sired." Alistair teased._

_"Like you know how bedding actually works. You, the perpetual virgin."_

_"Ouch. Harsh, Cousland."_

_"I speak the truth, friend." Rian smirks, burrowing deeper into his cloak until all that was visible of him was the top of his ruddy hair._

\-----------

_"Friend."_

Alistair, now King of Ferelden, stares into the fireplace, a goblet of wine in his hand as a snowstorm whirls outside of the castle. It seemed forever ago that he and Rian were newly-recruited Grey Wardens.

He sighs as he watches the flames consume the firewood. "You just had to go after her, didn't you?." He murmurs.

Sure, Rian had stayed after the Blight to help smooth things out in the Kingdom. Many weren't happy that the bastard son of the late King Maric ascended the throne. Rian had stayed, but once everything had calmed down, after he was sure that his friend-turned-King was able to handle things by himself, he left. Without a word. To find that swamp witch. He presses the cool rim of the goblet against his forehead and sighs. Ten years had gone by.

Alistair was deep in his recollections when one of his Mabari hounds could be heard growling somewhere in the ante-chamber. His brow creases and he pushes himself off the wall he had found himself leaning against.

"Probably chasing nugs in his sleep again," He mutters, setting down his goblet and going over to the chamber door. He was about to open it when the growling escalates into barking and then abruptly goes silent.

"Definitely not dreaming of nugs!" Alistair quickly grabs his sword hanging nearby and slams open the door, rushing through. He looks around, sword at the ready, "Monk? Monk! What is it, boy?!"

The room was empty.

And then he hears it.

Something scratches at the balcony door from the outside and whines. Alistair goes to the door and opens it cautiously, ready for anything that was going to attack him. What he isn't ready for, however, is the blast of snow hitting him right in the face and an overzealous Mabari hound relieved to have escaped the cold.

"Monk! Please! You--" He yelps as he struggles with both the hound and trying to get the balcony door closed. "Monk!"

"You named your Mabari 'Monk'?" A voice snorts someways behind, making him stop cold in his efforts to get Monk off him.  
Alistair scrambles to his feet, brandishing his sword. Monk was already growling, hackles raised.

A hooded figure was lounging on one of the plush chairs. Alistair frowns. That someone is sitting on _his_  chair. His frown gets deeper when he notices that the person is also dripping melted snow on the carpet. He points the tip of his sword at the intruder.

"I don't know who you are or how you got past the castle guards but I demand that you reveal yourself or so help me, I will send my hound at you!"

It starts out soft, but soon enough, the intruder is full on guffawing. That laugh. It was familiar. Alistair slowly lowers his sword, eyeing the figure. "Now, I don't see what's so amusing about this! Monk--"

The figure raises both hands and gets off the chair, chuckling, "Peace! Peace! I mean you no harm." The hands goes to the hood and pushes it back, revealing the smiling face of one Rian Cousland, Warden-Commander and Hero of Ferelden. "Hello, friend."

Alistair's sword clatters to the floor, making Monk whine in confusion.

"I--" Alistair finds the nearest chair and slumps into it. "Whoa."

The last time Alistair had seen Rian Cousland, it was during the disaster at Vigil's Keep. Even then, Alistair's duty as the new King didn't allow him to stay for long to chat.  
Then, Rian's flaming hair was bound up in a single braid. Now, it was short and sticking out like an unruly burning bush. And... Andraste's tits, he looked like he didn't age at all. Alistair squints. No wait, there are definitely more lines around the other man's eyes and his hair is flecked with a fine dusting of grey.

Rian grins widely at his friend's reaction, "Alistair, please. Close your mouth. It's making you look awfully like a flycatcher."

Alistair immediately clamps his mouth shut. "But--" He squeaks.

The other man settles back down on the chair, leaning back and crossing his right ankle over the other. "Maker's breath, I've missed you, Alistair." He looks over at Monk, who has since gone over to Alistair. "Is that--."

Alistair swallows and shakes his head, "No. It's one of his pups." He reaches out, scratching the Mabari behind the ears. "He uhh... sired a lot of pups. Quite unlike a monk."

Both men chortle at the reference to a time back when before silence falls over them. Alistair fidgets. "I thought you went after Morrigan?"

"I did."

"...and?"

"I found her and I followed her into the Fade. We have a child. Kieran."

Alistair mulls over the information. "I suppose I have Morrigan to thank for doing the deed with you and saving us the trouble of sacrificing ourselves, eh?"

Rian laughs, "You can say that. Though, if I recall, she didn't really warm up to you back then." He pauses before smiling to himself wistfully. "She wrote in her letters how proud she is of you."

"Are you sure you're talking about Morrigan?" Alistair arches a brow before the same brow furrows in confusion. "And what do you mean by 'letters'? Are you not with her?"

Rian scrunches up his nose and shrugs, "Eh, I'm paraphrasing but that's as close as it gets." He clears his throat. "Uh, well I left the family to go look for a cure. You know... for the Calling... I haven't seen them in quite some time. Last I heard, Morrigan and Kieran are in Orlais. Morrigan's an advisor to... are you alright, Alistair?"

Alistair had gone pale at the mention of the Calling - the ailment that affects all of the Grey Wardens due to the darkspawn taint. "You hear it? The music?" He whispers, leaning forwards in his chair. "I hear it. Every day. And my nights are filled with nightmares." He shudders.

Rian nods, "I do. That is why I'm doing my best to try find a cure. I've been following leads... sometimes they lead to nothing but I'll take what I can." He reaches out, grasping his friend's shoulder. "Alistair. My time as the Hero of Ferelden is over - I'm just a page in the history books. Yours as the King is just beginning to settle. You focus on the kingdom. I'll focus on finding a cure for this blasted disease."

He lets his hand fall off Alistair's shoulder and stands up, sighing. "I'm afraid I have to go now. I have a ship to catch in the early morn."

Alistair gets up after him, "Where will you go?"

Rian shrugs, "Out West. I've heard of some things that might aid us... I don't know." He smiles ruefully.

"No, I mean..." Alistair lets out a small laugh. "It's snowing out there. You have a place for the night? Don't want Morrigan to go after my hide for letting her beloved freeze to death."

Rian grins before he shakes his head, "Don't worry about me, Alistair. Worry about the Kingdom." He sticks out his hand and Alistair takes it, shaking it. A pause before he pulls Rian into a hug.

"It was nice seeing you again, old friend."


End file.
